Healthcare information
May 6th 2007, 10:08 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Quietly in the barcode
Posts: 79
Healthcare information
It struck me the other day that the one thing we found difficult to understand about NZ was the healthcare system, how useful it would've been to have had a really good guide on how to access it properly.
For instance, my son had an injury at school not long after we arrived on the North Shore, rather than take him to casualty at the hospital (which would have been free I found out later) I took him up to a private provider Shore Care, no waiting to be seen, he received excellent care and was stitched up for $40.
In the UK the first port of call for any medical issue is your GP but it can be different here: the GP can be circumvented in some cases. eg. I injured my knee ice skating and limped off to the doctors who told me to get some physio under ACC (again at ShoreCare) had 5 sessions free with no months long waiting list either! The physio said next time you get an injury just come here, there's no need to go to your doctor.
If you have health care insurance and want a 'suspect' mole removed you can go straight to a private clinic and get it done, the insurer pays them direct and again there is no need to go via the GP - unless you want him/her to recommend a surgeon to you or don't have insurance.
Now don't take this as being the case for all parts of NZ, it could be different elsewhere.
Just thought it would be useful for newbies to hear about the differences between NZ healthcare (which has been pretty darned good in my experience) and somewhere like the UK, hopefully other posters can add some more to this.
For instance, my son had an injury at school not long after we arrived on the North Shore, rather than take him to casualty at the hospital (which would have been free I found out later) I took him up to a private provider Shore Care, no waiting to be seen, he received excellent care and was stitched up for $40.
In the UK the first port of call for any medical issue is your GP but it can be different here: the GP can be circumvented in some cases. eg. I injured my knee ice skating and limped off to the doctors who told me to get some physio under ACC (again at ShoreCare) had 5 sessions free with no months long waiting list either! The physio said next time you get an injury just come here, there's no need to go to your doctor.
If you have health care insurance and want a 'suspect' mole removed you can go straight to a private clinic and get it done, the insurer pays them direct and again there is no need to go via the GP - unless you want him/her to recommend a surgeon to you or don't have insurance.
Now don't take this as being the case for all parts of NZ, it could be different elsewhere.
Just thought it would be useful for newbies to hear about the differences between NZ healthcare (which has been pretty darned good in my experience) and somewhere like the UK, hopefully other posters can add some more to this.
May 6th 2007, 10:15 am
#2
Banned
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,467
Re: Healthcare information
A&E was good enough for me when my son fell through a glass door and also for when he fractured his ankle during rugby practice.
The healthcare here wasn't so good when I had a lump on my eye but I operated on myself in the end!
Thought you were in Canada Toots, did it not work out?
The healthcare here wasn't so good when I had a lump on my eye but I operated on myself in the end!
Thought you were in Canada Toots, did it not work out?
Last edited by sky; May 6th 2007 at 10:23 am.
May 6th 2007, 11:31 pm
#3
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Re: Healthcare information
Sorry to hear about your son's accidents, the fall through the glass door sounds particularly horrific! poor boy, hope he made a full recovery.
The school just told me to take my lad up to Shore Care and get him stitched up, I didn't even know that it was private until I was given the bill
! I'm sure the service at the hospital would've been every bit as good (I didn't know where it was anyway) I was just grateful to get medical attention for him at the time, as you were for your son probably? 
This is what I mean though about newbies not knowing how to access the system properly. I never had to use an ambulance but I think there is a charge for it if you do, some people take out small policy to cover this.
Just thought some people would find this helpful.
p.s. operated on your own eye? ouch that sounds painful, at least you knew how to sterilise your stuff properly.
The school just told me to take my lad up to Shore Care and get him stitched up, I didn't even know that it was private until I was given the bill
! I'm sure the service at the hospital would've been every bit as good (I didn't know where it was anyway) I was just grateful to get medical attention for him at the time, as you were for your son probably? This is what I mean though about newbies not knowing how to access the system properly. I never had to use an ambulance but I think there is a charge for it if you do, some people take out small policy to cover this.
Just thought some people would find this helpful.
p.s. operated on your own eye? ouch that sounds painful, at least you knew how to sterilise your stuff properly.
Last edited by tootsie; May 6th 2007 at 11:35 pm.
May 7th 2007, 2:06 am
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: NZ
Posts: 3,366
Re: Healthcare information
Tootsie this is a great idea for a thread 
particularly as we're just trying to decide what healthcare cover to take!!!!
particularly as we're just trying to decide what healthcare cover to take!!!!
May 7th 2007, 2:30 am
#5
BE Co-Founder
Joined: Feb 2000
Location: Florida
Posts: 25,928
Re: Healthcare information
It struck me the other day that the one thing we found difficult to understand about NZ was the healthcare system, how useful it would've been to have had a really good guide on how to access it properly.
For instance, my son had an injury at school not long after we arrived on the North Shore, rather than take him to casualty at the hospital (which would have been free I found out later) I took him up to a private provider Shore Care, no waiting to be seen, he received excellent care and was stitched up for $40.
In the UK the first port of call for any medical issue is your GP but it can be different here: the GP can be circumvented in some cases. eg. I injured my knee ice skating and limped off to the doctors who told me to get some physio under ACC (again at ShoreCare) had 5 sessions free with no months long waiting list either! The physio said next time you get an injury just come here, there's no need to go to your doctor.
If you have health care insurance and want a 'suspect' mole removed you can go straight to a private clinic and get it done, the insurer pays them direct and again there is no need to go via the GP - unless you want him/her to recommend a surgeon to you or don't have insurance.
Now don't take this as being the case for all parts of NZ, it could be different elsewhere.
Just thought it would be useful for newbies to hear about the differences between NZ healthcare (which has been pretty darned good in my experience) and somewhere like the UK, hopefully other posters can add some more to this.
For instance, my son had an injury at school not long after we arrived on the North Shore, rather than take him to casualty at the hospital (which would have been free I found out later) I took him up to a private provider Shore Care, no waiting to be seen, he received excellent care and was stitched up for $40.
In the UK the first port of call for any medical issue is your GP but it can be different here: the GP can be circumvented in some cases. eg. I injured my knee ice skating and limped off to the doctors who told me to get some physio under ACC (again at ShoreCare) had 5 sessions free with no months long waiting list either! The physio said next time you get an injury just come here, there's no need to go to your doctor.
If you have health care insurance and want a 'suspect' mole removed you can go straight to a private clinic and get it done, the insurer pays them direct and again there is no need to go via the GP - unless you want him/her to recommend a surgeon to you or don't have insurance.
Now don't take this as being the case for all parts of NZ, it could be different elsewhere.
Just thought it would be useful for newbies to hear about the differences between NZ healthcare (which has been pretty darned good in my experience) and somewhere like the UK, hopefully other posters can add some more to this.
May 7th 2007, 7:25 am
#6
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Quietly in the barcode
Posts: 79
Re: Healthcare information
Great idea Sue, I'll do it now.
